House of Ravenshield
Background The Ravenshield family was founded two decades prior to the Troll Wars and played a role in many major conflicts in human history. The Ravenshield noble family was once its own kingdom in the mountains but later joined the Alliance of Lordaeron in an effort to keep from any unecessary conflicts. The noble house, having their keeps and homes in the mountains would keep in contact via raven, but while being a trust-worthy messanger, the ravens also represented House Ravenshield on their banners and during battle. The family, following the decline of the Arathi Empire, claimed the mountains of Western Tirisfal for their own, cultivating it and making it into a manageable enviroment. Years later during the reign of Lord Dilan Ravenshield, the words were changed again to "Tenax a Lumin" meaning Tenacious by the Light. He found it necessary to go back to his most ancestral roots and honor Arathor, the kingdom that gave his family their name to begin with. Origins More than 2800 years ago there was the Arathi Empire, and from it spurred the origins of human civilizations in the Eastern Kingdoms. Among the many humans born high and low was the clan of Tyrocious under the leader Alerwyn. Alerwyn was proud, impatient, friendly and kind – though he was quick to anger at times – his clan served under the Clan of Paldan alongside four other clans: Valtine, Gramdor, Sassix and Raexa. The many clans Paldan had conquered served to aid Arathor’s wide-spread unity of Humanity, though the clans were, in truest sense of the word, weak. While Paldan had strength of arms and great warriors, Valtine had master healers that would later break off and settle in modern-day Southshore, taking the name Valenheart as their own. Clan Gramdor are masters of state and doctrine, they are a clan of the people and believe that the lower class should be heeded and aided, while clan Sassix were masters of trade, commerce and subterfuge, becoming the richest of the clans, but the weakest in manner of size. Clan Raexa were scholars and keepers of history – later becoming the masters of magic once it was introduced to humanity after the Troll Wars. Clan Tyrocious, however, was almost a perfect match to Paldan – being the last of the five to fall and putting up the most vicious of fights, it, in the end, was subdued honorably. The Five, under clan Paldan, stood steadfast with Humanity and Elves against the trolls, for years they battled, utilizing their different strengths to impress, appease and remain strong – it was during the war that the clan leaders discovered a pass leading up the Thondoril River into a wide cave with a river within – following the cave would lead the families into a valley that would later be named Silreon. This discovery would become dire for the survival of most of the families. A short time later, following the Troll Wars was when Alerwyn of Clan Tyrocious was born. Alerwyn was said to be handsome, brash, impatient, loud, but friendly and strong as well – a true, proud Tyrocious if there ever was one. It was in his time that the peoples of Arathor would be adopting their future as a kingdom – some went as far as to change their family names! Paldan changed to Paelor, Gramdor to Gradwin, Sassix to Sellix, Valtine to Valenheart and Raexa to Rex – though Tyrocious did not change – it remained as it was for Alerwyn saw no cause to. Such would change quickly when war broke out between the families under Paelor and the united families under neighboring Lords. Amidst this war, Alerwyn’s cousin would be killed in a defeat on the battlefield - his family was not only mocked by Paelor for their failure, but by the other lords they fought, as they were fast becoming inferior. Ties between the family of Paelor and Arathor strained and Arathor opted to leave, spurring a change among his fellow lords – but before Alerwyn and the family of Tyrocious could leave, they must have vengeance upon their enemies. There was a day that Alerwyn watched ravens cluster around trees, cawing and heckling as they do, poking and prodding at one another, though one stood out among the other – a large Raven whom was the farthest away from the others – feathers as white as snow. It was pushed away for it’s difference, and heckled near ceaselessly, though it remained ridged, unmoving, unhindered. Alerwyn, in a strange anger, shot up and scared away the other ravens in an attempt to somehow protect this strange, white raven. Seeming almost awestruck by this lone, pale raven and admiring it – the raven flew and landed upon Alerwyn’s forearm, staring at him. Sometime later Alerwyn would come to face his foes on the field one last time, and upon his shield he would paint a pale raven, it’s wings widespread upon a field of black, and that day was won. Being taken as a good omen, Alerwyn adopted the pale raven as his sigil and renamed his family Ravenshield. Finally ready to leave the Arathi Empire, Paelor would declare himself independent and crown himself King of the Valley they had discovered, proposing he and his clansmen march up the pass to make their new home – the families followed suit and eventually settled the valley, but civil strife would follow. Under Paelor, life was difficult, taxing, and straining. Little was put into education, reading, or tradition – war was all the Paelor family had prepared for while the other families suffered. Isolationism consumed the valley and the outside worked changed rapidly with the ending of the Arathorian Empire and the forming of the Seven Human Kingdoms. Alerwyn died having put down several rebellions and ensuring the peace of the realm under Paelor, but tensions simmered. Alerwyn would die and history would be lost until Hullen Ravenshield was born. Life had become unbareable under Paelor by this time and the families had finally had enough – with the aid of the Gradwin family, Ravenshield united the majourity of Silreon against Paelor for release, to break from isolationism and to make their own destiny. A war broke out that would shatter the old regime. The kingdom was toppled and the survivors, though battered and bruised, placed Ravenshield at the head of all. Hullen was known as ‘the Greatest Ravenshield that has been or shall be’ for saving his people from tyranny and opening Silreon to Lordaeron. Hullen opened talks with the Lordaeronian kings and brought his people into the fold, swearing fealty. From onward, hostilities would never cease between Paelor and Ravenshield, but with Ravenshield as the standing head of state and martial might, the resenting families could do nothing but defer. Trade and prosperity boomed – rebellions would crop up due to old hatreds, but all would remain as it was from then on – prosperous and true until Hullen’s death a century later. Hullen was succeeded by Cargy Ravenshield, who was influenced greatly by a corrupt man from the Paelor family, and slowly but surely, isolation crept back into Silreon as Marcus was made bitter by false history and conflict in his court in Silreon. Many years would pass and Dilan would be born in Brill following the exile of his mother and father at the hands of his great grandfather, Darious the Younger – without knowledge of his roots in nobility, Dilan lived a simple life as a peasant, and then a soldier for sixty years. Dilan would later be found by Veros Gradwin, who would plead with him to return to Silreon and save it from a tyrant family – to lead the people of the valley once again. It would surprise many to note that it was the Sellix family who had betrayed the valley, in the end, who had been influencing the Paelor’s for generations to war and hate – and Asher Sellix, the head of the Sellix family at the time, was revealed to have been a necromancer in the Cult of the Damned, establishing a Scourge holding in the area. Dilan, having been an Argent Crusader, rallied aid and led a charge against Asher and his cult insurgents. The war would claim an entire portion of the Valley known as Alerland, wherein a plague cloud now soils and poisons the land and air – though the area is inhospitable, the valley was given new leadership. Like Hullen before him, Dilan swore his lands and peoples to the Argent Crusade and Highlord Fordring to better aid Azeroth. With the lands now under Argent Crusade occupation, and Dilan being sent out to fight enemies are distant fronts, the head of the Valley was given to Veros Gradwin who serves Dilan without hesitation. The state of House Ravenshield and the Houses under Ravenshield today are said to be in the best since Hullen had led the families – though the region works near constantly to stem the spread of the plagued area known as Alerland. It is Ravenshield’s duty to serve not only Silreon now, but Azeroth. It is Dilan’s proud duty to uphold his family’s honor and preserve this sense of peace-bringing. Tenax A Lumin – Tenacious by the Light are the words spoken today by Dilan, though this is the motto of Ravenshield Company in the Argent Crusade, his people have adopted it within the Valley for hope of a brighter future under this new leader. Settlements, Regions, and Important Sites House Ravenshield and most of the houses under its influence make their home in the Silreon Valley, lands found in the mountains north of Hearthglen and the Western Plaguelands. The Greywood Forest: Land controlled by Ravenshield and the house Gradwin, but with House Ravenshield's absence to Everlast and working for the Crusade, the Greywood and Ravenshield Keep were trusted to Veros Gradwin and his family to oversee work as the Minister of the Silreon Valley to ensure the Lords are happy and the work continues to keep the people in high spirits. Raven's Crossing serves as a trade hub between the holdings of Silreon and prospers for that reason. It's fiefs are the village of Raven's Crossing and Ravenshield Keep. Barony of Boarhill: The lands trusted to the Paelor Family, named for the lone hill where the Paelors had settled, more and more land was trusted to them as they proved more trustworthy for the cause. It was when Baron Sellix revealed himself as a member of the Cult of the Damned that the Paelor family stood with the other lords and fought back the Scourge. For their heroism, Dilan granted them kindnesses not seen in years, and brought the Paelor family back into the fold as a trusted, honorable house - Boarhill replaced Alerland as the main provider of farm labor and food since the Siege of Alerwyn - however Lord Ravenshield struggles to keep his lands well maintained and as prosperous until a way is revealed to regain the lands lost. Fiefs within Boarhill are Boarstead and Hightower Watch, named in honor of Aurious Hightower for his honor and friendship to Dilan Ravenshield. Lake Hullen: Unclaimed land in honor of Hullen the Great, the Lord of Ravenshield when the Paelor Family had ruled the Valley and smashed their tyrant ways with the united Lords - Hullen was given a place in Cargan's Island tomb where the many dead lords of the Valley lay in peace after their rule. Notable locations in the area are the lake, Cargan's Island and the mines in the mountains above where many precious metals are harvested for use in the region. The Fallen Barony of Alerland: Once ruled by the Sellix family, Alerland was a prosperous area with much to offer - schooling, many different types of guild work, festivals, fertile farmland - all of that was ripped away when Asher Sellix revealed himself as a member of the Cult of the Damned and unleashed the undead on the Valley - knowing what was to come, Dilan prepared the people of the land for war and led them valiantly against the undead, however the war would end sourly as Asher Sellix, now going by Sel the Withered, had detonated a plaguebomb within the city of Alerwyn and devastated the city and lands surrounding - to ensure the undead would not spread further into Silreon, Camp Tenacious was set up by the Argent Crusade along with Forsaken Crusader Apothecaries to find a cure for the plague, however, even to this day it remains inhospitable and deadly. Notable locations were once the Farmlands of Alerland, the Hillcaves and Alerwyn City. Current established settlements: Camp Tenacious. Ravenshield Keep: A stronghold located up in the westernmost mountains of Lordaeron, above the farmlands of Tirisfal, west of Deathknell. The mighty keep had seen its fair share of inner conflicts.The keep was built by Lord Alerwyn in the years when Arathor was young. It apparently still holds records of Lordaeronian and Arathorian history within the depths of its tombs and libraries. Alerwyn City: Once a center for culture, religion, and magic, Alerwyn City today resembles Stratholme after a massive insurrection orchestrated behind the scenes by the Cult of the Damned. Tyroholde: The true "first home" of Alerwyn "The Raven". Tyroholde was the home of the original Tyrocious family when their ancestors landed in the Arathi Highlands from Northrend. The fortress was once stone and wood, but it was taken during a violent raid and razed to the ground, prompting Alerwyn to leave his hilly homeland for greener pastures in the mountains. Boarstead: Located in the region of Boarhill, it is the seat of power of the Baron Allastor Paelor and the Paelor family. Raven's Crossing: Seat of Power of the Gradwin Family, located in the Greywood Forest and the center of trade after Alerwyn city fell to the Cult of the Damned insurgency. Families and Organizations: Clan Tyrocious: A clan of humans that was established before the Kingdom of Strom and conqured by it, Clan Tyrocious slowly but surely changed into the House of Tyrocious and aided in some of the most important human struggles up until after the Troll Wars. Following the Troll Wars, the lord of House Tyrocious fled the lands of Arathi in spite of the other lords mocking his house's sigil, a white raven clad on an opal colored banner with an onyx boarder. He renamed the House Tyrocious into the House of Ravenshield and lived in the mountains where his family grew, protected by strange magics of the forests around his castle. House of Hightower: The most loyal, but smallest house under the Ravenshield banner is the House of Hightower. The house of Hightower is responsible for Lord Dilan Ravenshield's assention to Lordship and for saving his life during the Northrend campaign. Currently, it is led by the aged paladin and Knight of the Silver Hand, Aurious Hightower, who serves his lord and the Argent Crusade with honor. House of Hoffstad House of Gradwin: Veros humbly lords over the small house of Gradwin. Known for breeding tacticians and strategists, their sharp minds and wit were complimented strongly by the house Ravenshield and Paelor's incredible martial strength and ferocity. For their service and unwavering loyalty, House Gradwin was granted the fief of Raven's Crossing, where all roads in the Greywood meet. House of Hoffstad: Gradwin Mining Company: The greatest contributor to the wealth of Silreon and Ravenshield, the mining company digs up many, many ores and pure-water sources in which to treat and drink for the region of Silreon. It also provides much-needed mineral-rich soil for farming communities. Highrest Lumber Industries: The Lumber industry, also managed by the Gradwins, provides ample lumber for the area while also maintaining the forest of Greywood that the Ravenshield family have come to love so much. What are known as 'Ironoak' trees are harvested here, said to be so great and strong, that an axe would shatter upon impact. House of Paelor: The second strongest house next to the Lord's very own, House Paelor is lorded by Allastor Paelor, a master warrior who preaches that strong militant influence is truly the key to order. Because of his military preachings, Dilan and the other lords keep a close eye on Paelor, even if he has proven his loyalty lies with Dilan. Paelor Manufacturing: The Farmers' Coalition: Formed following the 'Birthday Rebellion, where Farmers rose up in protest of the Paeloran treatment of the farmers of Boarstead - the result was a great riot that halted food production for months, leading to starvation and the eventual end of the conflict, all of the farmers of the region united after that and made a Farmer's Coalition, asking for a charter for fair treatment of all land workers under each lord, and such was granted by the Lord Allastor Paelor himself. House of Sellix: A great family of mages, wizards, and sorcerers, the Sellix family, along with the Rex family were taught to use magic during the troll wars and aided in defeating the Amani trolls. Like the many other families, Sellix defected from the Kingdom of Strom to follow the Ravenshield family to find their own lands, hoping that they could pass their magical knowledge through their decedents. Despite their many years of loyalty, Asher Sellix ultimately shamed and broke the Sellix bloodline by betraying the nobles of the Greywood and revealing his servitude to the Cult of the Damned – as leader of the Order of the Black Flame, Asher unleashed unspeakable horrors on the people of the Greywood, resulting in a war that cost thousands of lives. Asher is still at large and in hiding, recuperating after his disappearance during the seige of Alerwyn City. House of Rex: Much like the House of Sellix, the family of Rex was taught to use magic during the troll wars and aided in battling back the Amani trolls. Once Ravenshield defected from the kingdom of Strom, Rex happily followed with all the knowledge it could carry. The House of Rex works to preserve Ravenshield's history, as well as study and teach magic in an effort to ensure the house's protection from threats both domestic and foriegn. The Farthing Family: Though they are not a noble family, the Farthings have mustered aid to retake Alerland from undead forces while Ravenshield is away with his armies. They are an affluent family from Raven's Crossing. House of Sunstep: Sadanian Sunstep, Dilan's uncle, hesitantly joined his far-younger nephew, pledging what remained of House Sunstep to the Argent Crusade under Dilan's banner. While Sadanian still harbor's hate for the Ravenshield family for breaking up his own in the midst of their marriage, he understands duty and honor above all else is necessary to ensure his family's survival. Sunstep represents Ravenshield's ties to the Horde, and work as a bridge to connect any members of the Horde that defect and lead them to join the Crusade. Geography The region of Silreon, wherein Ravenshield and the clans under it make their home, is a hilly area that has its highest point being Miner's Pointe, and it's lowest point being the Tyrocian Pass near Boarstead. The area of Boarstead is a lowland farming community that ends at the steep incline that is the boarder of Alerland, which overlooks most of the region. Alerland is a hilly area marked with dense forests and pocket farming communities around the town of Alerwyn. The Greywood forest below is a lowland forest that is named as such for the dense fog that rolls in from Lake Hullen during the day, which some claim to be the spirits of the many lords of Ravenshield talking through their favorite woodland. Ravenshield keep sits upon a hill overlooking much of the Greywood forest and Boarhill, as well as views the wide Lake Hullen and a the torchlights of Miner's Pointe in the evening. Gallery Category:Houses, Clans and Tribes Category:House of Ravenshield